Ironing machine



I 22, 1942. F. J. PFEFFER 2,306,133

IRONING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7/ 6 FRANCIS JPFEFFER.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 22, 1942.

F J. PFEFFER 2,306,138

IRONING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Flzancls JPFEFFEK.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 22, 1942 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE IRONING MACHINE Francis J. Pfefier, Richmond Heights, Mo.

Application April 28, 1939, Serial No. 270,625

' 8 Claims. (01. 3846) This invention relates to ironing machines of that type embodying a platen or ironing board and a heated ironing roll, the latter being power actuated to sweep across the platen or board and in ironing contact therewith.

The main object of this invention is to produce a machine of the type in question utilizing fluid as its power source whereby a desirable flexibility of movement and an accurate control of the moving parts is obtained.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for linear reciprocating of a heated ironing roll in ironing contact with a platen and at the same time cause the roll to rotate at a peripheral speed greater than the linear speed of the roll whereby a smoothing and stretching action i provided during the ironing operation.

Another object is to construct the roll carrying means in such a manner that the roll can be shifted entirely to one side of the platen whereby the positioning of work on the platen is facilitated.

A further object of this invention is the provision of means for rotating a heated ironing roll during linear reciprocation thereof, together with 'means for varying at will the extent of linear reciprocation.

Another object is to provide a novel mounting for the heated roll whereby the latter is supported and rotated by means located at one end only of the roll drive shaft, this arrangement insuring an operating structure entirely free from interference with actuating parts.

, A further object resides in the provision of fluid actuating means for rotation and reciprocation of the roll across the ironing table, together with valve actuating means positioned and arranged for convenient manipulation of the operator.

More specifically, the invention includes an ironing table resiliently mounted, heated ironing roll for rotation and a linear reciprocation across the table, a reciprocating fluid motor for operating development will more clearly hereinafter appear by reference to the accompanying drawings, specification and claims, and wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts 7 throughout the several views, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View with parts broken away showing the actuating'mechanism,

Figure 2 is a top plan view,

Figure 3 is a longltudmal section with the ironing roller in its intermediate position,

Figure 4 IS a perspective view with parts broken away to expose the drive mechanism, and

Figure o is a diagrammatic vlew snowing the fluid circuit tor the motor.

Each machine may include in its assembly a housing Ior the drive mechanism comprlslhg base I, side walls 2 and 3, top t and end Walls a, the sum wall a being IOImeO. near its upper end with a horizontal elongated slot 0 through which projects and travels the shart l or the ironing roll 8 as Wlll more speclllcally be described. This housing may be OI any suitable size and shape, and may DB constructed of any suitable material, essential to the proper support and arrangement of the parts arranged therein. ll necessary, desirable bracmg may be utilized at such points in the assembly as may be SuDJeCtBCl. to material weight, stress or strain due to the nature or the apparatus and its manner or operation.

A pair or spaced brackets or frame members 9 and in are supported in the upper portion or the housing and these may be cast or iabrlcated in any desirable manner to include elongated horizontally arranged slots ii, depending inwardly extending arms lz, and connecting arched braces I l. The arcuate transverse end gussets or braces. l4 .proiect inwardly from the ends or each frame memper 9 and lo and abut to provide correct spacing and relative bracing oi the parts. These end braces l4 and the ad aceht portions of the side elements comprising the frame members are notched to receive and straddle the angle iron supports in, the latter extending through the inner side Wall 3 of the housing and constltutmg the main supporting means Ior the platen or ironing table 2i. Fixed to the inner race or each Irame member 9 and lo are the plates H and It, each formed with elongated slots corresponding to the slots l' l of the frame members 9 and lo and having continuous flanges l9 which extend through the slots l l and neatly engage within the same to form spaced trackways. Racks 20 project from the lower inner marginal edge of each plate I1 and i8 and extend a distance commensurate with the length of the path of travel of the ironing roll 8 and parallel to the trackway formed by the flanges l9. These parts may be fixedly positioned with respect to each other in any manner to insure a compact and desirable assembly capable of the function for which they are intended.

The horizontal angle iron platen supports l6, which connect and are supported in part by the of the ironing table 2|.

frame members 9 and I!) extend through the inner wall 3 of the housing a suitable distance to properly underlie the platen 2|. The platen 2| is mounted upon the bench 22, the latter being supported on angles 6, and including the upright or leg 23. This bench which accommodates the workman is constructed of sheet metal or the like, suitably braced and of such a design as to present a neat appearance as shown best in Figure 4 of the drawings. A tubular upright 24, is flanged at its lower end 25 to receive the bolts or other fastening elements 26, which extend therethrough and through the upper bench wall whereby these parts are properly secured at a suitable position to insure the correct mounting of the platen or ironing table 2|. Fixed to the under face of the ironing table 2| is the tubular collar 21. This collar 21 is flanged at its upper end 28 and bolts or other fastenings extend through same into the-table to secure these parts. The collar 21 is of a diameterto neatly fit within the tubular upright 24 on thetable 22 to provide a telescopic adjustment between these parts and the table. and bench to which they are attached.

.A coiled spring 30 is positioned within the telescopic connection 24.-2'|,, this spring 38 being positioned at its upper .end centrally of the collar 21 by guide plate 3| and at its lower end centrally of the tubular upright 24 by guide plate 32. The guide plate 3| is fixed to the under face of the platen 2|, while the guide plate 32 is ver- .tically adjustable by virtue of the elongated screw 33 which extends upwards through the bench and engages ther same to adjust the spring tension and thus the resiliency of the mounting Elongated bolts 34 extend through the spring assembly, being fixed at their upper end in the guide block 3| and at their lower end extending downwardly through the bench and having adjustable nuts 35 thereon for engagement withthe under face of the bench to limit the upward movement of the platen and thus prevent the same from becoming dislodged by excess movement and consequent disengagement of the parts forming the telescopic support. The heated ironing roll 8 includes an outer ironing cylinder ofa length comparable to the block 38 provided with the plug connections 39 by means of spring contacts 46 engaging" ring terminals 4| on the shaft 1 and to which the leads 31 are attached. The shaft 1 extends entirelythrough the ironingroll 8 and is fixed therein by the nut 42 which engages the threads 43 at the end of the roll. The other'or inner end of the shaft extends through the roll and projects within the housing to overlie the racks 20. Gears 44 of a diameter less than the diameter of the roll 8 are'fixed on the shaft at spaced points within the housing to mesh with the racks 20. The gears include the collars 45 and the bearings 46, the latter being of a diameter to snugly engage and roll within the flanged trackways l9 defining the elongated horizontal slots II.

A depending actuating arm 56 is suspended on the shaft 1 intermediate the gear and rack assemblies and cooperates with the reciprocating piston rod connecting the pistons 52 in the cylinders 53. These pistons 52 are caused to reciprocate in their cylindersby virtue'of suitable fluid forced into same through the control valve 54 from the pump 55 located in the reservoir 56. The pipes 51 and 58 conveying the fluid under pressure into the ends of the cylinders 53 when the valve is manipulated to bring the proper ports into register, while the pipes 59 and B6 permit the return of the fluid in the cylinders 53 to the reservoir 56 when the pistons are shifted to expose the proper port connections. By referring particularly to Figure 1 the connection of the actuating arm 50 with the piston near its lower end and the additional connection forming the shifting pivot at the lower extremity at 65 to engage the pivot pin '66 on the connecting rod 5| whereby the control armis free to shift longitudinally during its oscillations to enable the gears 44 to remain in engagementwith their respective racks. This shifting movement of the control arm is further assured by the bearings '46 which engage within the guideways II and the guidetracks or flanges l'9 provided for this purpose.

It will be noted that the connecting plug '38 is fixed to the depending arm 50 near its upper end and projects laterally therefrom to permit the spring contact fingers 40' to remain in normal contact with the ring terminals 4| on the shaft 1 when this'control' arm 56 is oscillated due'to-its connection with the 'motor at '66. The current is carried to the block 38 by the usual flexible cable and plug.

The valve 54 which regulates the'passage of fluid to the fluid motor cylinders 53 is controlled by the-lever 68 which extends vboth above and below the bench 22 and is pivoted thereto by pivot '69. To this lever there is connected link 10, bell crank'll and rod 80, the latter .properly guided and supported being in the nature of a valve stem for the fluid valve 54 and through the mechanism described actuatingthe same. A spring 8| secured to the'housing at 82 and to one end of the bell crankfacilitates.themanipula- 'tion of the'valve in the usual manner.

In the operation of the device the valve 54'. may be manipulated through the operation of the hand lever 68 to admit fluid to oneof the-- cylinders 53'to cause the reciprocation ofthe; pistons contained thereinand theoscillation of; the actuatingarm 50. 'The lever 68 is pivoted toi the bench'22 at such a position to make it convenient for manipulation by the operator. This'position is'illustrated in the drawings as being'to the right end adjacent the frontedge of the bench 22 and this position of the operating lever necessitates the connectionsshown and described between the same and the valve. The position of this control lever may. be varied to suit the convenience of the operatororto facilitate the operation of the mechanism. The actuatingarm 56 is fixed to and suspended f-rom the shaft"! which extends through and. is fixed to the heated ironing roll'8. This shaft 7 which projects from the inner end of the ironing roll 8 has mounted upon it the gears 44, the latter including bearings 46. "The gears'44 mesh with racks 20 while the bearings engage within the elongated guideways' and. contact the upper flange" ladeflmng'such elongated slots. "Thus it will be seen that the oscillation of the actuating arm 50 will cause the gears to travel along the racks and this movement of the gears along the racks is maintained by the contact of the bearings 46, with the upper flanges l9 partly forming the elongated guideways. Due to the fact that the gears 44 are of less diameter than the heated ironing roll 8, this roll will rotate at a surface speed in excess of the speed of lineal travel of the roll across the platen 2|. Thus, due to the accelerated speed of the roll the work which is being operated upon and which is positioned on the platen 2|, is subjected to a stretching action in addition to the normal ironing operation. The quality of the work is in this manner materially improved and the speed of the operation greatly facilitated. The racks 2!] and the horizontal trackways defined by the slots II are of such a length and are so positioned with respect to the platen 2| that the linear reciprocation of the heated ironing roll is defined by the front edge of the platen 2| and a point located at the rear of the platen so located that the heated ironing roll may be entirely free of the platen and thereby permit the placing or arrangement of work on and about the platen in the usual manner and without interference with the ironing roll. The ironing roll is heated in any suitable manner, the present illustration including the heating coil 36 which is connected through leads 3'5 shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 to the ring contacts 4| fixed on the rotating shaft 1, spring contacts 40 to the plugs 39 formed in the contact block 38. The contact block '38 is mounted on the actuating arm 5|) and the source of power may be tapped in to the proper pair of sockets from a source of power and through a flexible cable in the usual manner. By providing the fluid motor for operating the ironing roll and by use of the valve 54 as shown it is possible to rotate the ironing roll and move the same across and in contact with the platen under the most desirable conditions, i. e., the roll may be stopped at any position in its travel, either in contact with the work or in its idle position off of and to the rear of the platen as illustrated in Figure 4. Should the pressure of the ironing roll be found to be insufficient or too great, this pressure may be regulated by operation of the screw 33, the latter regulating the tension of the spring 30 and adjusting the tension of the platen 2| with respect to the roll 8.

Minor changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, such changes possibly including the arrangement of the motor parts and its control, the construction and arrangement of the housing and like details. The present disclosure may be desirable in that the actuating arm 50 is arranged and supported in a balanced position both with respect to the source of power and with respect to the ironing mechanism, it being noted that this actuating arm is suspended substantially intermediate these parts whereby a more definite operation and control is obtained.

I claim:

1. An ironing machine comprising a resiliently supported ironing board, a heated cylinder for traversing said board, a shaft projecting from one end of said cylinder, a pair of gears mounted on the projection of said shaft, parallel racks engaging one side of said gears, parallel tracks engaging the side of said shaft opposite said racks, an operating cylinder, a source of liquid under pressure, a valve controlled conduit for supplying liquid under pressure from said source to said cylinder, a'piston in said cylinder, and an operating connection between said piston and said shaft.

2. An ironing machine including a frame, horizontal parallel tracks secured to said frame, a shaft provided at one end with spaced portions for rolling contact with said tracks, means for guiding said shaft with respect to said tracks, a heated cylinder extending from the other end of said shaft, and an ironing board adapted to be swept by said cylinder, said cylinder being solely supported at one end by said shaft whereby an unobstructed'space is provided between the free end of the cylinder and the ironing board to permit the extension of cloth therebetween.

3. An ironing machine comprising a resiliently supported ironing board, a heated cylinder parallel with said board, guiding and driving means for said cylinder, said guiding means being constructed and arranged to guide said cylinder in a path substantially parallel with the surface of said board, said driving means being constructed and arranged to simultaneously move said cylinder across the surface of said board and cause said cylinder to rotate at a rate different from its rate of travel across the board, said cylinder being supported at one end only, and the other end being unobstructed to permit the extension of the material being ironed beyond the end of said cylinder.

4. An ironing machine comprising an ironing board, a heated cylinder mounted parallel with said board, said cylinder being mounted on a shaft and supported at one end only, guiding means for guiding said cylinder acrossthe sur face of said board, driving means for simultaneously driving said cylinder across the surface of said board and rotating it at a peripheral rate different from its rate of traverse across said board, control means for said driving means, said control means having a normal position in which said cylinder is held in a position out of contact with said board, said control means being operable to cause said cylinder to be advanced or reversed any selected distance across said board.

5. An ironing machine comprising a heated cylinder, an ironing board, parallel racks at one end of said cylinder, parallel guideways adjacent said racks, a shaft for said cylinder, gears on said shaft engaging said racks, said guideways preventing the disengagement of said gears from said racks, said gears being of smaller diameter than said cylinder, and said racks being on the same side of the axis of said shaft as is said ironing board.

6. An ironing machine including an ironing table and a heated ironing cylinder arranged for movement over said table, a shaft coaxially mounted with respect to the cylinder and projecting from one end thereof, a pair of gears mounted on the projecting portion of said shaft, racks positioned at one end of said table in engagement with said gears, and slideways engaging the sides of said shaft opposite to said racks for retaining said gears and said racks in cooperative engagement.

7. An ironing machine comprising a pair of cylinders, pistons in each of said cylinders, a swinging arm connected to and operated by said ,pistons, a source of fiuid pressure, Valve means for controlling the supply of said fluid pressure to said cylinders, an ironing board, a heated cylinder, a shaft for said heated cylinder, said shaft projecting from one end of said cylinder, a, pair of parallel racks, spaced gears on the projection of said shaft, guideways holding said gears inengagement with said racks, and a connection between said swinging arm and said shaft.

8. An ironing machine comprising a heated cylinder, an ironing board, means, including a swinging arm for traversing said cylinder across said board, a fluid pressure. source fluid pressure operated means for operating said swinging arm, valve means for controlling the application of said fluid pressure to said cylinder from said pressure source, and yieldable means normally holding said valve means in position to cause said cylinder to be held atone endof its stroke.

FRANCIS J PFEFFER. 

